X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Posted on
Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:24 am
rlesperance offline
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X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Hello,

My home is fully X10 wired with mostly LM465 modules and wall transmitters.

I want to install LED lights where ever possible. It seems that X10 and LED are not «out of the box» compatible. I first tried LED PAR20. I experienced the ghost effect, meaning that when the circuit is OFF, the light still lightly brights in the dark. I read that by installing a small resistor, I can fix that problem (see : https://www.homecontrols.com/PCS-Load-R ... g-PCILR10K). I already asked about that and got very imprecise answer.

My question is where do I install exactly the resistor ? Do I install it at each light contact or at the beginning of my circuit just beside the LM465 ?

I found general information about this problem but not any specific details about how to address my particular case. Does anybody in the Indigo community have a lead to help me fix this problem ?

Thanks in advance.




Robert Lespérance

Posted on
Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:13 am
berkinet offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

rlesperance wrote:
...My question is where do I install exactly the resistor ? Do I install it at each light contact or at the beginning of my circuit just beside the LM465 ?

The information you are looking for is on the site you linked to, under the Downloads tab in a document titled PCS ILR-10K Load Resistor for LED Lighting Installation Manual (.pdf). I linked directly to it to save you a click or two.

Based on the document, the resistor is installed in parallel with the lamp (or, another words, across the switched hot, and the neutral.). You could install the resistor anywhere along the circuit path, though it would obviously be easier at the switch or the lamp. I strongly suggest you use one resistor for each lamp one lamp to avoid any heat issues. To make it simple, I'd install the resistor at each lamp. That way you minimize the chance of someone replacing the LED later with a regular lamp and leaving the resistor installed at the switch.

NOTE WELL: If you are still confused, then PLEASE heed the advice given in the document:
    Installation must be carried out by a qualified electrician only.

Afterthought: If you do have the ability to do this on your own, you might consider just buying a few 1k ohm 10 watt resistors and putting them in some shrink tubing. That would cost less than USD 1.25 per resistor.

Posted on
Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:31 am
rlesperance offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Thank you so much for your reply.

What would happen if I installed a regular incandescent bulb in a lamp holder that has the resistor installed ?

Posted on
Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:46 am
berkinet offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

rlesperance wrote:
...What would happen if I installed a regular incandescent bulb in a lamp holder that has the resistor installed ?

Nothing really. You'd burn an extra watt or two of power. But, as a general rule, you don't want unneeded elements in your wiring. The best electrical work should make everything clear and obvious. This is why people avoid hidden junction boxes between switches and lamps. Think about the next person that has to work on the circuit.

Posted on
Thu Sep 14, 2017 5:24 pm
rlesperance offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Hi berkinet,

Thanks. I understand why you recommend that I put the resistor on each lamp holder or socket.

The diagram explains a circuit with only one LED PAR20. If a circuit feeds 4 LED PAR20 instead of one, will it require a more powerfull resistor ?

Regards.




Robert Lespérance

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 4:26 am
berkinet offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

If the lights are all in parallel, one resistor should work.

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:18 am
rlesperance offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Hello berkinet ... I understand that if I install only one resistor on a circuit with 4 sockets instead of installing a resistor at each socket, and if the sockets are all in parallel that only one resistor would be sufficient.

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:06 am
berkinet offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

rlesperance wrote:
Hello berkinet ... I understand that if I install only one resistor on a circuit with 4 sockets instead of installing a resistor at each socket, and if the sockets are all in parallel that only one resistor would be sufficient.

I believe that is true.

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:32 am
rlesperance offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

Installing those resistor will be a little chalenge, since the wire are fragile. I will see if there are some more robust version.

Do you know if the LED MR16 have the gosht effect like the LED PAR20 ?

I really appreciate your help ...

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:36 am
berkinet offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

rlesperance wrote:
Installing those resistor will be a little chalenge, since the wire are fragile. I will see if there are some more robust version.
Do you know if the LED MR16 have the gosht effect like the LED PAR20 ?.

You should have wire nuts in the connection box of the first light, the one closest electrically to the switch. Just connect the resistor between the wire nuts on the hot and the neutral.

The designations MR16 and PAR20 define the form factor of the lamp, not the actual lighting technology. Thus, you could have halogen and LED versions of both. The "ghosting" is a function of the way LEDs operate and the design of the LED circuitry used by the manufacturer.

Posted on
Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:48 am
rlesperance offline
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Re: X10 and LED PAR20 ...

The gosht effect does not affect LED A19 bulbs ... that's my experience. I tested LED PAR20 and they have the gosht effect. I did not try LED MR16 though. So I will try it also. Thanks again.

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